Fruit-picker.



G. MITCHELL.

FRUIT PICKER.

APPLlcATIoN FILED FEB. s. |913.

Lz Patented Apr. 24,1917.

INI/EN 70H By f' l W Wl TNE SSE S:

@ .4 TToHNEy GEORGE MITCHELL, OF CAMAS, WASHINGTON.

FRUIT-PICKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.. 2a, i917.

Application filed February 8, 1913. Serial No. 746,981.

To aZZ 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE MITCHELL, a citizen Of the United States, residing at Camas, in the county of Clarke and State Of liashington, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Fickers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention, which relates to fruit pickers, has for its principal object the provision of a conveying shaft which will insure the deposit Of the fruit in the sack Or container in a perfect condition.

A further Object of my invention is to provide a device Of the character described, having means for breaking the fall of the fruit as it enters the container.

The above and additional Objects are accomplished by such means as I have shown in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawing, described in the following specication, and then more particularly pointed out in the claim which is appended hereto and forms a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure l, is a side elevation of my device.

Fig. 2 is a detail view, showing the closure flap and the means for effecting its operation.

Fig. 3 is a detail view, showing the conveyer in Operative relation with the sack.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the locking means provided for the retention Of the ap in a position Of closure.

Referring now to the drawings throughout which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts, my device includes in general the supporting legv l, and a conveyer chute 2. The leg l carries at its upper end the supporting ring 3 and is further provided with the longitudinally spaced guide rings 4f and 4 and the stop pins 5. rIhe conveyer 2 is, as shown in the drawings, an elongated tubular member and is mounted in operative relation to the supporting leg by means Of the ring 3 which circumferentially engages the conveyer at its upper end and adjacent the base Of the guide fmgers 6, which are secured to the upper end of the conveyer. 'Ihe conveying tube is enlarged at its lower end and is provided with the outlet port 7, which is adapted tO be closed by means Of the flap 8, formed integrally with the wall 9 of the conveyor. The

vthe guide rings l and a.

flap 8 is provided with the ring 10 which is mounted for engagement with the latch pin l1, carried on the wall l2 of the conveyor and adjacent to the lower extremity thereof. An Operating rod 13 is secured at one end to the ring l() and is held in spaced relation from the conveyor and supporting leg 1 by in encircling ring 11i is disposed adjacent the enlarged portion Of the conveyer and carries a connecting link l5, which is adapted for engagement with any One of the pins 5. By means Of the member' l5 the angle at which the fruit falls into the container may be readily varied.

From the foregoing disclosures, it will be readily apparent that I have provided a fruit picker which will effectively convey the fruit to the container without injury. Furthermore, it is apparent that with my improved fruit picker, a person using the same and standing upon a ladder, will not be compelled to descend at every discharge Operation, but, can readily grasp the upper end of the rod and release the closure flap.

It will, of course, be understood that the above disclosures, and accompanying drawings, comprehend only the more preferred embodiment of my invention and that various minor changes in details of construction and arrangement Of parts may be made within the scope Of the appended claim and without sacrificing any Of the advantages of this invention.

I claim- A fruit picker, including a supporting handle, a conveyer tube secured tO the upper end Of the handle, a closure flap upon the lower extremity Of said tube, means for connecting the free end Of the closure flap with the tube, means carried by the lower part Of the tube to adjust the same vertically upon the handle to control the discharge of the fruit therefrom, and a rod extending upwardly into proximity of the upper end of the supporting handle, said rod connected with the said flap connecting means for disengaging the free end of the 'closure iiap from the tube.

GEORGE MITCHELL.

`Witnesses:

L. J. MOODY, GEO. Y. MOODY.

Copies of this patent mayY be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. i 

